At over 20 stories at the time of its completion in 1902. The Flatiron building then known as the Fuller Building was one of the cities tallest. But it isn’t the height that gave the stucture the iconic status it enjoys today as much as it is the shape. The tower is shaped like a flattened triangle meeting its apex with Broadway, 5th Avenue and 23rd Street. Prior to its construction, the land was the site of a four-story apartment building that had a massive canvas on the roof. The owner of the building Amos Eno would project advertisements from the adjacent 5th Avenue Hotel which he also owned. The building became known as Fuller’s flat iron. The projected images became a hit with locals and tourists alike.
in 1901, The four-story apartment building was sold to the Fuller Realty Company began construction of the structure we have today. The building’s unique shape was out of necessity as there was a convergence of three major avenues around the lot. While the new building was called the Fuller Building locals still insisted on calling it the Flatiron building and the name eventually was made official .
While the public response to the building was enthusiastic. The building had many critics including engineers who argued the triangular structure would make it vulnerable to being knocked over by a strong wind. The architects of the Flatiron insisted that they had taken that into account and the building had reinforced steel. Time proved the critics wrong. Over the years the building has had multiple tenants but currently stands unoccupied. Various investment firms have made plans to renovate the tower but so far nothing has come to fruition
